


Rivetra Week 2015

by 4_star_daydream



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: F/M, Rivetra Week 2015, rivetra
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-30
Updated: 2019-01-01
Packaged: 2019-09-30 05:40:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17218058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/4_star_daydream/pseuds/4_star_daydream
Summary: Posting some old Rivetra Week 2015 prompts from tumblr.





	1. Vows

Levi was horrible with words. It was a fact known throughout the Survey Corps. He was educated well enough to understand them, but could never find the words to properly express himself. He came off as harsh, crass, painfully blunt, to the point that it was not a rare sight to see one of his subordinates walk away from him frustrated, confused, or even on the verge of tears. Even those who knew him well had difficulty understanding what exactly it was he was trying to convey to them; it was never a ‘well done,’ but rather ‘not bad,’ a ‘we start training at dawn tomorrow’ rather than ‘I’m glad you all made it back alive,’ all meanings that required the wisdom and understanding of Hanji to decipher the true meaning and keep the others from becoming discouraged.

So it was no secret, no surprise that Levi was horrible with words…

…which is the reason he could hardly understand the fact that Petra had wanted him to write his own vows for their wedding.

“Why?” he asked after she had presented the idea, his fingers suspending his tea cup in the air just before taking a sip of the soothing liquid.

“It’s something different, something…out of the ordinary, I suppose.” Petra spoke, a smile on her lips. There was hardly anything conventional about their union; a marriage between two soldiers, to take place in the great hall of their headquarters, officiated by their commander. She would still wear a dress, he a suit, but it was nothing flashy, nothing elegant; deviating from the norm.

He took her suggestion as something she had wanted; he was sure he could easily turn her down, and recite the vows which Erwin would ask them to repeat. But he could see in her eyes, those light-filled swirls of precious nectar, that it was something she wanted, something her heart had hoped for.

Levi hummed, taking a sip of his tea as his gaze flickered from her to the wall.

“You’ll be disappointed.” No matter how much effort, time and thought he put into it, he knew whatever it was he would come up with would not compare to what she would say to him.

Her bottom lip tucked between her teeth, weight shifting from one foot to the other.

“I would rather it come directly from you.”

Levi’s half lidded gaze stayed focused on the wall, silence falling between them and filling the room. He took a second sip of his tea, before setting it down upon the wooden table, giving her a small nod of his head.

Three weeks, they had decided, was sufficient enough to prepare for the wedding. Even with their normal duties within the Corps, their preparations were simple enough, with most of the tasks easily taken care of with two trips into town. Invitations were minimal; there was no one on Levi’s side that was not already in the Survey Corps, while Petra kept hers to a handful of immediate family members.

But as the days drew closer, his notebook grew thin, torn and crumpled papers filling his waste basket each day. Three weeks turned into two, two to one, one week into six, five, four, three, two days, before days ultimately turning into mere hours. He had long since given up on writing, the pages of notebook depleted, broken words scrawled on loose paper, littering the top of his invariably clean desk. He would be called for soon, Hanji having already barged into his room and reprimanding him for not being in his tux.

Levi stared at himself through his mirror, making sure his tie was straight, shirt was tucked, and no lint littered his jacket. His door opened for a second time, the scientist coming in once again though this time in more formal attire.

“Wow, look at you, I was half expecting you to still be getting dressed.” Hanji let out a low whistle, taking in the sight of the captain. He didn’t speak, staring off into the reflection, though focusing on nothing. Hanji stepped further into the room, stopping right beside their comrade.

“Something on your mind, shorty?”

“Petra asked me to write my vows.”

“I know.” Hanji nodded, tucking a lock of their slightly less messy than usual hair behind their ear.

“Then you know why that’s an issue.”

The room grew silent save for the ticking seconds of the clock. A few, long moments passed, before Hanji placed their hand on his shoulder.

“The only issue would be if you didn’t speak from your heart, Levi. Whether you just say that you love her, or tell her that her shit stinks better than everyone else’s; whatever your heart tells you to say is what will matter most to her.” They gave him a warm smile, squeezing his shoulder.

Levi stayed silent, his eyes downcast, tracing the grain pattern of the hardwood floor. Finally, he nodded.

“Not bad…”

Hanji chuckled as they slapped him on the back. “Hurry and finish getting ready. Wouldn’t be a good impression to your bride to be if you were late to your own wedding.”

He rolled his eyes as the scientist walked out of his room, giving himself a final once over before leaving his room the last time as a single man.

Despite Hanji’s words, humanities strongest soldier still could not shake off the nervousness that had settled in the pit of his stomach; not until he had seen her, however.

As she walked up the aisle, father at her side, he found he did not care for the goofy faces Hanji had been making at him, the smiles his squad and other subordinates had been offering him, or even the whispered reassurances coming from Erwin. His focus locked on her, as though this were the first time he had seen her, yet welcoming a familiar sight he had been yearning for.

Standing before him, veil framing her face, she gave him one of her trademark smiles, the very one that made him realize what exactly it was that he felt for her. As Erwin began to speak, Petra took his hands into hers, a softness pooling into his eyes and remaining as the ceremony progressed.

When it came time, she spoke her vows, voice eloquent, words flowing, each syllable that left her lips causing his heart to beat faster, as though solely for her. He could see the glistening of tears pricking at the corners of her eyes, though they dared not to shed, not to roll down and meet with the curves of her smile. He swallowed as she finished, blinking once, twice, three times as he absorbed what she had said, and as the nervousness made itself known again. Erwin spoke once again, directing Levi to start with his own.

Glancing down, raven haired man swallowed once more, hesitating for a moment as his mind became a swirling fury of words, words he himself was unsure of understanding. But as his eyes locked with hers again, he saw her reassurance, and felt it through the squeeze of her hands.

“Petra Ral…this world is shitty.” He could hear a snort from Hanji off to the side, followed by what sounded like Moblit clapping his hand over her mouth.

“At least I had thought it was. My first time outside of the walls showed me a small glimpse of how the world wasn’t as shitty as I had thought. But that glimpse was quickly destroyed with the deaths of my comrades.” Levi kept his eyes locked with hers, watching her carefully.

“But you, Petra…you are not only the return of that glimpse, but the entire view of a permanent image. You are proof enough to me that this world is much more than a shit hole. You are proof of why we fight these god damn fights, why we put ourselves through this fucking mess…and because of this, because of how better you make this shitty world seem, there is no doubt in my choice to vow to be by your side, to be your friend, your comrade, to…to love you long after I’m dead, buried, and forgotten about. Petra…there is nothing I want more than to be with you.”

He watched her lip tremble, tears finally breaking free and falling to the fabric of her dress. Even through her silent sobs, she smiled. He was relieved, but more importantly, he was happy; not only that she was not disappointed, but that she understood.

With their vows spoken, Erwin asked that they exchange their rings and ‘I do’s,’ before bringing the ceremony to a close.

“You may kiss your bride now, Levi.”

The captain nodded, taking a small step forward. His lips met with hers in a chaste kiss, their friends and comrades clapping (with a few cheers from Hanji of course.) But before he had pulled back, her arms wrapped around his body, Petra pulling him closer and closing the gap between them. She kissed him again, tightening her grip around him as his own arms came around her.

 

“I love you…thank you.” She whispered in his ear, head resting on his shoulder. Levi couldn’t help the twitch of his lips, a small smile coming to his face.

“I love you too, Petra.” He whispered back, giving her a squeeze before pulling away to lead her down the aisle, their first journey together as husband and wife and the start of their everlasting vows.


	2. Bath/Shower

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you who may be sensitive to the subject, this Rivetra Week prompt involves miscarriage.

Her towel fell to the floor in a crumpled heap. The faucet squeaked, followed by the hiss of water spraying from the shower head. She stepped inside, hot water scalding her body, but she didn’t care; she’d rather have felt that than what she was currently feeling- empty. She did not bother with shampoo, her eyes fixated, but unfocused on a bottle of lavender bubble bath soap.

Baths had always been her preference; but preference was no longer a choice at the time. Not until the bleeding stopped. Not until it was all gone.

Steam filled the room, the humidity a pressing weight on her chest and making her feel as though she could not breathe. But she did not care, she did not think that perhaps she really could not breathe, that perhaps the water was just too hot.

Why?

It was all that came to mind, all that repeated over and over.

Why?

Why?

“Why?!” She screamed, an arm knocking over a shelf of different shower products, each clattering loudly to the bottom of the tub.

“Petra-“ A hint of worry stained the muffled voice of her husband as he popped open the locked bathroom door. His heart racing, he quickly pulled open the curtain. She was kneeling, sitting on the back of her heels as she held her head in her hands, a pile of his and her soaps, shampoos and conditioners covering the drain. Her shoulders bobbed up and down, her muffled sobs bouncing from the bathroom’s tiled walls.

“Petra…” Levi’s voice was softer, where relief should have been, anguish took its place.

It pained him to see her like this. It pained him to know just how much more pain she was in, how he could never in a million years take the burden from her and shoulder it as his own.

He stepped into the shower, uncaring of the hot water hitting his hair, his face, his clothes. He pulled her to him, sitting back into the basin of the tub and keeping his grip onto her as if she were as lifeless as a doll; though at this point she was.

He held her close, her sobs wracking her body and vibrating into his. She pressed her face into his now damp and soaking shirt, yearning for his embrace, his comfort. Levi stroked the back of her head, her wet hair clinging to his fingers.

“It’s okay…” He whispered to her. “It’s okay….we can try again.” He reassured her. “We can always try again.”


End file.
